Blasting gun



1,670,419 w. s. MAYER BLASTING GUN Filed March 6, 1924 2 Sheet-Sheet 1 afIII L May 22, 1928.

May 22, 1928.

w. s. MAYER BLASTING GUN Filed Mafch 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 alier Jzvi lyer':

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Patented May 22, 1928.

A UNITED art-tits s. iiiAYiiR, or remastered, iatn'snvimm.

BLASTING aim.

Application Tiled March a, 1924. Serial no. 687,419.

My invention is designed to provide conveniently portable and operable means for furnishing an electric current or spark to effect the detonation of a blast or thelike. The leading/objects of my invention are the provision of a device for such uses which will be certain in operation, rugged in construction, simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and which can be carried in. the pocket or on a strap without danger of inadvertent operation. y

In its preferred form my intention is comprised in a hollow casing or housing of pistel-like shape forming a stock and a barrel, the housing containing a source of electric ciirrent controlled by trigger mechanism and being 'pro'vided with terminals for the attachment of conductors connected with the squibs or primersof thecharge. The terminals, are preferably located at the muzzle of the barrel, 'where they are. shielded from injury bya flange or guard, and the trigger may be housed in a countersunk recess and protected by a guard to-pre'ven't accidental actuation thereof. i

The current is preferably derived from a generator within the housing and comprising a 'fieldmagnet seated in the stock and a rotor revoluble in the barrel. Either low tension or high tension current may be secured by the provision in the ,rotor of a suitable armature which is rotatable by a motor, such as a Spring motor, capable of storing energy until released by the manipulation ofqthe trigger. The armature is preferably driven by the motor through an overrunning clutch such that retardation or back l'ash of the spring motor does not check the rotation of the armature. Potential energy may be stored in the motor by winding up the spring 'by means of a key, which is preferablyai'itolnatically detached from the Wind ingshaft.

In device's madein accordance with my invention, the parts primarily liable to injury or deterioration are securely housed and protected from blows and moisture, and the de vice may be o'perated to effect detonation with one hand, leaving the other'frce to hold the squib conductorsjor for other uses.

a The characteristic features and advantages of'myinventioirwill more fully appear from the following description and the accompartying drawings in illustration of preferred l'embbdiments thereof.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional .VIEW of an embodiment of my invention; F ig. 2 is a horizontal sec- ,tional ,VlGW on the line 22 of 1; F ig.

3 is a transverse sectional view through the stock on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 1 is an end view of the barrel; Fig. 5 is a transverse Sectional view on the line 55'of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the barrel showing modified motive mechanism and conductor connections Fig. 7. is a transverse sectional view on the line 77 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a muzzle end view of th-en'iodified conductor connections; Fig. 9 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a modified embodiment of my invention; Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view on line 1010 of Fig. 9; .Fig. 11 is'a horizontal sectional view on the line 11-11 of Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is an end view of the barrel shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 isa transverse sectional view on the line 1313-of Fig. 9; and Fig. 14 is a dia grammatic layout of the circuit involved in the operation of the device shown in Figs.

Asillustrated in Figs. 15 inclusive, the complementary die castings 1 and 2 are secured together by bolts or rivets 3 to form a hollowpistol-like housing having a stock at, a barrel 5, and a trigger guard 6.

A permanent field magnet 7, composed of a plurality of laminated U-shaped stampings secured together by rivets 8 and provided with curved pole pieces 9, is fixed in the hollow stock at by screws 10, the curved pole piecesbeing disposed symmetrically on opposite sides of the axis of the barrel.

The barrel 5 contains transverse webs 11 and 12 providing bearings for the journals 13 and 14 of a rotor revoluble in the barrel. The rotorcomprises an armature 15 having core made up of laminations lfipressed together upon the pins 17 by the collars 18 interposed between the core and the plates 19 and 20. The plate 2.0 has a shoulder 21 hearing against the web 11 and terminating in a shaft 22 ofangular cross section for the engagement of a socketed key 23. A thimbleor collar 24, ,spli'ned relatively to the "shaft 22 and rotatable therewith in the ,re- 'cess '25, is nonmuy pressed outward, to disengage the 'key 23 from the shaft, by a coiled spring 26 anchored 'toflthe shaft. 22 and engaging the flanged end of the thimble.

An induct-ion coil 27 "is wound "and grounded onthe core 16 and is connected with a conducting rod 28 housed .111 a noneonductingsleeve 29 by which the rod is insulated from the plate 19 and the tubu-.

lar shaft fixed thereto and terminating in the journal 14. The end of 'the'rod 28 projects from the sleeve 29 and shaft 30 into engagement with a recessed seat 31 of a spring contact 32 connected by a conducting bolt 33 with. a socket terminal 34. The termina'lp34 ishoused in a recess 35 of an insulating plug 36 seated in a recess formed by the-barrel web 37 and flange 38, and the contact 32 is insulated from the pistol case.

ing by anonrmiductingplate 39 bearing against web 37, wh ch co'nlains'an aperture 37 sufliciently large to pernnt passage of the bolt 33 without contact with the web.

he plug 36 contains a further recess 40 in which is seated a socket terminal 41' electrica'lly connected with the Web 37 by a screw or bolt 42 passing through the web into engagement with the plate 39. V V

A sleeve 43, journalledon the shaft 30, is, provided with end flanges 44 and 45, the

latter bearing against the plate 19 and con- "taininga slot 46 for the engagement of the end of a spiral spring 47 coiled about the sleeve and having its end 48 anchored in the pistol housing. The flange 44 has fulcrumed'thereon av pawl or dog 49 provided wvith a tail 50 and adapted for coactio'n with ratchet teeth 51 on the shaft 30.

The plate 19 is provided with ratchet teeth 52, and a sear 53, fulcrumed on the pivot F4, has its upper end normally pressed into-the path of the ratchet teeth by a leaf spring 55- journa'lled on therivet 3, and bearing against the wall-of the stock. A 'rigger or push button 56, seated in a countersunk recess 57 and normally pressed outwardly by a coiled spring'SS, has aneck 56 projecting through an opening in the pistol housing and terminating in ahead 56 -which engages the sear and rocks it out of the path of the ratchet :teeth 52 when thev trigger is pressed inwardly. p

' In the operation of my device, the key 23 V a tooth- 52 on the plate 19. Then the winding has been completed,the key'23 is automatically disengaged from the shaft 22 by.

the spring-pressed thimble 24.

.When' it is desired to detonate a charge,

the ends of conducting wires connected with the squib or primer are pushed into the apertures of the terminals 34 and 41,- where they may be manually held by the operator since but onehand is required for the operation of the gun itself. The conductors having been seated, the trigger 56 is pressed inward to rock the sear 53 anddisengage it from the plate 19. Inadvertent operation of the trigger is prevented by housing it in the counter-bored recess .57 and by the trigger guard '6, which latter may alsoserve for the-attaehment of a carrying strap to The disengagement of the sear 53 from the plate 19, permits the spring 47 to unwind and rapidly rotate the sleeve 43, which. throughthe. pawl 49 and teeth 51, rotates the shaft 30 and ari'i'iature winding 37. The rotationof the armature causes the winding to rapidly cutthe lines of magnetic force of the field magnets and establishes an electric currentwhich flows from the winding through the rod 28, contact 32, bolt 33, terminal 34, to the conductor (not shown) seated thereinby which a sparking-producing current is transmitted to the squib or primer. The circuit is completed by a conductor (not shown'lleading from the squib to the terminal 41, connected through the pistol housing with the armature core 16, on which the armature winding is grounded.

When the back lash of the unwound spring 47 tends to retard or reverse the'ro tation of the sleeve 43, the teeth 51011 the more rapidly rotating shaft 30 disengage from and run under the pawl 49 until the momentum of the armature rotor is ex hausted. It will thus be seen that the pawl 49and teeth 51 form a species of overrunning clutch whereby rotationmay be communica'te'd between the shafts 43 and. 30, but

the shaft 39 may rotate more rapidly than the shaft 43 without retardation thereby;

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the motive force is provided by a helical spring 47 having its inner end con nectcd with a sleeve 43 and its outer end anchored tothe pistol housing by projectingthrough a slot 1 therein and turned over to form a pseudo sight 47 along the top of the barrel. The overrunning clutch formed by the dog 49- and teeth 51 to connect the shaft 43 with the shaft 39 is and terminals-3i and 4:0 for the insertion of binding screws 3% and 4'0, whereby the sqn'ib conductors may be securel'y clamped 1n the sockets of the terminals.

In the modification illustrated in 9 to '14; inclusive, the complementary die castings 1 and 2 arese'cured together to form a p'i'stol-like hollow housing comprising a stock 4. barrel 5 and trigger guard 6 The iield magnet- '7 is seated 'in the stock with itspolepieces 9 on opposite sides of the a-xis'ot the barrel. A rotor isjournalled rivets 17 whose opposite ends are set'in the plate 19" Armature core laininations 16 are mounted on the rivets :17", which also support a circuitbrealter member comprising aninsulating disk and a conducting disk 20 having spaced peripheral members 20 telescoped on the periphery of the disk 20. The disk QOl'is suit-ably insulated, as by no'n-coi'idi'icting bushings 18, from the plate 20 rivets 17 and core 16*. and the latter is spaced from the plate 19" by bushings 18. A primary winding 27 is shuttle wound and grounded on the core 16" and on the condenser 16 carried by the core. he primary winding 27" is also connected with the disk 20 and a spring contact finger 20 mounted in the housing in the path of the contacts 20 alternately makes and breaks the circuit of the primary winding.

A secondary coil. 27? is wound in inductive relation to the primary winding 27". One end oi the secondary winding is electrically connected with and grounded by the .primary and the other e'ndfo'f the secondary winding is connected with aconducting rod 28* extending axially through a shaft 30 and insulated therefrom by a non-conducting sleeve 29*;

The end of the rod 28 projecting beyond the sleeve 28 is seated in the recess 31 of a. spring contact 32 which. is insulated from the pistol housing by a non-conducting plate 39 hearing against a muzzle closureii'l' A terminal guard 38' having a median flange 38 is fixed to the plate 37f the terminal bolts 34 and 42 provided with the wire engaging nuts 34 and 42 The contact 32 is engaged to the bolt-34 by a nut 34 and the bolt L2 is grounded on the pistol housing.

The shaft 30 has one of its ends firmly fixed to the plate 19 and its other end forms the rotor journal 14. A spiral spring 47 having one end fixed to a lug 48' by a screw 48, is coiled about the shaft 30 and its free end forms a flat loop and transverse chord member which is pressed witheonsiderame force against the plate 19 The plate 19 has pressed axially from the surface thereof the inclined lugs or teeth 19 which engage the s rim at? when the he 23 is turned p a y anti-clockwise to wind the spring. The inclined faces of these teeth may, however, compress the spring axially and rotate in dependently thereof when the rotor is revolving clockwise tastertha n the spring and thus the retardation of the rotor by the backlash of the unwound spring is avoided. The rotation of'the rotor by the spring is normally prevented by the engagement of a tooth 52 on the plate 19 by the tulcrumed sear 53 The scar is normally held in the path of the teeth 52* by the coiled spring 55 and may be rocked to release the rotor by the push button trigger 56 which is nor mally pressed outwardly by a coiled spring It will be,understood'that potential energy is stored in the spring motor by the, anticlockwise rotation of the key 23". hen it rotation of the rotor by the spring 47 ind'uces electric currents in the primary winding. The rapid interruptions of the primary ci'irrents by the circuit breaker mechanism described induces currents of higher voltage in the secondary winding. The condenser minimizes sparking or surging currents due to the interruption of the primary Winding circuit and intensities the current produced in the secondary.

Haying described my invention, I claim:

I. A device or the character described comprising an electric generator having a rotor, a spring wound about the axis of said rotor t'or rotating said rotor, means for winding said spring, means for maintaining said spring in wound condition, means for releasing said spring, and means permitting the rotation of said rotor after said spring is unwound.

2. A device of the character described comprising a field magnet, an armature ro' 3. A device of the character described comprising a housing containing a generator having a rotor comprisin an armature, a spring motor in said housing in axial align ment with said rotor for rotating said armature, means adjacent one end of said housing for winding the spring of said motor means housing containing-a source of electric cur rent, and wire gripping terminals adjacent to the muzzle of said barrel and connected with said source of current and means including pawl and ratchet mechanism adaptfed to release said source of electric current.

5. A blast detonat-ing device comprising a housing forming a stock and barrel, of a source of electric current within said housing, a spring motor in said barrel including a spiral spring for operating said source, and a trigger for controlling the discharge of current from said source.

6. A blast detonating device comprising a housing forming a barrel and a stock and containing a source of electric current, pawl and ratchet mechanism for releasing said source of electric current, wire engaging terminals at the muzzle of said barrel, and

aguard for said terminals.

7. A blast detonating device comprising a housing forming a barreland a stock, a field magnet seated in said stock and a rotorjournalled in said barrel, said rotor comprising an armature means for rotating said armatureand means permitting the rotation of said armature after said rotating means is stopped. S. Aiblastdetonating device comprising a housing containing an electric generator and a spring motor for operating said generator, a key for winding the spring of said motor pawland ratchet mechanism for'releasing said spring motor, and means forautornatically disengaging'said key. v

9. A blast detonating device comprising a housing containing a rotor having a shaft, 'a key for engaging said shaft to operatesaid rotor and means for automatically disengaging said key from said shaft, means for operating said rotor consisting of a helical spring wound about said shaft.

' 10. A device of the character described comprising a housing forming a stock and a barrel, a field magnet seated in said stock, an armature r-evoluble in inductive relation to said magnet, a spring motorin said barrel,

ratchet mechanism connecting said motor and armature, and latching mechanism controlling said motor. 7

11. In a device of the character described, an electric generator rotor comprising a winding and a shaft,a helical spring-coiled about said shaft for operating said rotor means permitting said rotor to rotate after said spring is uncoiled, and a conductor housed in said shaft and connected with said winding.

12. In a device of the character described,

a housing forming a stock and a barrel, a field magnet in said stock, a rotor journalled in said barrel and comprising a winding shaft, an armature core, a coil wound on said core, a shaft connected with said core, a second shaft sleeved on said shaft first named, a spring coiled on said second named shaft,

. and pawl and ratchetmechanism whereby said spring rotates said armature.

13. A blast detonating device comprising, a housing forming a stock and a barrel, a generator stator seated in said stock, a generator rotor revoluble in saidbarrel, a helical spring in said barrel for operating said rotor, spring winding means at one end of said barrel, and terminals at the other end of said barrel and connected with said generator.

14. A blast detonating device comprising, a casing forming a pistol-likehousing containing an electric generator having its stator housed in the stock of said housing, and its rotor revoluble in the barrel of said housing and means in said barrel for storing energy to rotate said rotor.

15. In a device of the character described, a housing forming a barrel. and a stock, a field magnet disposed in said stock and having pole pieces projecting into said barrel, an armature revoluble in said barrel in proximity to said pole pieces and a motor housed gaging said motorand rotor when the speed of said rotor exceeds the speed of said spring.

18. A blast. detonating device comprising an electric generator having a rotor, a spring motor for operating said rotor, afulcrumed sear engaging said rotor to prevent rotation thereof, a plunger for rocking said sear.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand this 29 day of Feb, 1924.

\VALTER S. MAYER. 

